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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

Greater Washington DC

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My New Decorating Handbook Is Now Available For Pre-Order!

Annie Elliott | April 11, 2025

It’s revised, expanded, and just plain better! But first:

HELLO, Gentle Readers! We’ve been busy over here at Annie Elliott Design! We moved into a new studio (I’m just waiting for some wallpaper — of course — and then I’ll tell you all about it), some client projects are really heating up, we have a new employee…stuff’s been happening!

Sneak peek!

Oh, yes: and then there’s the WORLD. But that’s not what we talk about here ;)

You may recall that a few years ago I published a decorating handbook: My Neighbor Saw Me Naked, and Other Reasons You Need Drapes: The Most Important Things You Need To Know About Decorating. I know; the title was too long. Especially that last part.

Watercolor illustration of green striped sofa
The former book’s cover, by Tania Lee

Well, I’m delighted to announce that Artisan Books, a division of Hachette Book Group, is publishing a REVISED AND EXPANDED book! There are new chapters and new topics, such as rug pads and platform beds versus boxsprings. There also are new, charming illustrations by the unparalleled Tania Lee.

By Tania Lee

It is, simply put, a better book. Don’t worry, though: it’s still amusing enough to read in the tub.

Blue and white book cover with watercolor illustrations
The new book! I love the little lamp on the spine – by Tania Lee, of course :)

The subtitle is MUCH better than the original: The Essential Decorating Handbook. Simple yet descriptive. As my mother said (I’m paraphrasing), “Maybe this book will be to decorating what Strunk & White is to grammar.” One can only hope!

The book will be released on August 12, but it would be FABULOUS if you could pre-order one or two (or several) right now. It’s available through all the usual places, including Politics and Prose. Links to order are here.

Watercolor of antique chest and modern chair

My Neighbor Saw Me Naked is an excellent host/hostess gift, wedding present, congratulations-on-your-new-abode gift, etc. And it’s still purse-sized, so obviously you need one at the ready.

Thank you for reading, for bearing with me as I blog less often to attend to matters mentioned earlier, and above all, for making the world a better place by making your corner of it beautiful.

Annie Elliott Design is based in Washington, D.C. If a reimagined, joy-filled home is on your must-have list for 2025, please contact us today. I’d love to speak with you about your project.

If you would rather not receive blog notices in your in-box, you may unsubscribe here.

Category: How-toTag: Artisan, book, decorating guid, decorating handbook, furniture, Hachette, how to decorate, paint colors, wallpaper

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Let’s talk about what fabric doesn’t work ❌ for the sectional upholstery in this beach house TV Room. Even though these fabrics are beautiful on their own… they don’t work here. The dark stripes were not lighthearted enough and the smaller scale blue and white pattern was too predictable. Watch to listen to me plead my case for lavender and green! 🏖️#interiordetails #colorfulinteriors #beachhousedesign

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Apr 13

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Here’s the challenge: Imagine you are designing a lighthearted, summer beach house. In the TV Room, there are bookcases, a neutral rug, and a large sectional.What upholstery would you put on the sectional?Comment your pick before you see part 2 👇#designchallenge #interiorsandhome #interiorinspiration

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When you come home after a long day, do you want your foyer to rev you up or calm you down? Decide which approach you need and run with it. Add large-scale wallpaper and layered rugs for excitement, or paint the walls off-white and be selective with your artwork and mirrors for calm. #foyer #homedesign #foyerinspiration

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Apr 3

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Q: What is one thing you can do to elevate a room❓💬 The first thing you see when you walk into a room needs to look great. In your office, get a nice, big vintage desk. In a living room, paint all the walls a dark color. Avoid satin brass hardware, pills on sofa fabric, and fake wood!#interiordesign #dcdesigner #decorinspo

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Apr 1

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This will come as no surprise, but I think about window treatments a LOT. Especially during the transition from winter to spring, with the change in temperature and light…I’m reminded what a critical design element window treatments are. And then I get to thinking about window treatments through the ages. Who invented drapes? Did the Romans *really* invent Roman shades?I decided to do some digging. Check out my blog to see what I discovered!📸 @stacyzaringoldberg📸 @jennverrierphoto#windowtreatments #drapes #interiordesign

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Mar 25

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It’s Wallpaper Wednesday! Today we feature Brunschwig & Fils’ Les Touches. @brunschwigfils introduced Les Touches in 1965, and the pattern soon became a Brunschwig classic. (Interestingly, “touches” translates to “keys” or “strokes…” I guess that’s close to “dabs,” which is what I’d assumed.) According to handwritten records, Les Touches is inspired by post-WWII black and white photographs, but the connection between this inspiration and the pattern remains a mystery. Referred to most often as a stylized animal print, Les Touches is a staple of the Le Jardin Chinois collection.Today, Les Touches comes in 18 colorways, but the blue colorway remains iconic. I’ve used Les Touches for window treatments and upholstery, but I can’t wait to try it as wallpaper!

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Mar 23

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Here’s what ✨ I ✨ would do… Instead of matching everything, you balance it. Pull one color. Shift the scale. Let each piece do something different. Here’s what ✨ I ✨ would do… Instead of matching everything, you balance it. Pull one color. Shift the scale. Let each piece do something different. Bonus: Change the rug! Suddenly you’d make a completely different window choice.Did you guess it?!Watch part 1 for the challenge context and part 2 for what doesn’t work.#interiorsandhome #fabricdesign #romanshades

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Mar 23

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Let’s talk about what fabric doesn’t work ❌ for the Roman shades in this teenage girl’s bedroom with 2 big windows and a statement ceiling. Even though these fabrics are beautiful on their own… they don’t work here. Biggest mistake: repeating the same motif (moths, butterflies, etc.) across the room. It starts to feel themed instead of designed.Watch part 1 for the full context, and watch part 3 to find out what I would choose.#interiordesign #wallpaper #interiorsandhome

annieelliottdesign

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Mar 23

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Here’s the challenge: a teenage girl’s bedroom. Not huge. Two big windows. Statement ceiling. White walls.Which fabric would you choose for the Roman shades?There’s a right answer… a safe answer… and a couple very wrong ones. Comment your pick before you see part 2 👇#interiordesigner #wallpaper #romanshades
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